303 British question.

[robpad]

Imr 3031

I have always used IMR 3031 powder. On the Hodgdon Powder site they have a load for 150 & 180 gr bullets.

I loaded some 174 Gr RN Hornady bullet # 3130. 34 gr worked best in my No 4 rifle. I as crimped the bullet with a Lee Collet crimp tool.

Watch out for your brass and the amount of reloads. I carry a case extractor with my reloads. I found once you have it 3 or 4 reloads throw out the brass, unless you want to use the case extractor tool a lot.

For my ammo for the service rifle match last year I used factory ammo so I would not have any case issues. Now that it has been shot I will track the amount of loads of these cases.

You should get some stripper clips for you 303 ammo. It sure is fun practicing the mad minute, one minute to shoot as much ammo out of your 303. Last November I shot 16 rounds and had 15 hits on target in one minute. More fun with a bolt action than a semi-auto.

Cheers

Robert

 

[Haagen_Dazs]

Wow lot's of great info here!


Like the OP I also just bought a 303 and I've got my eyes on a 30-06 Garand. I would love to have only one powder for both calibres and be able to load them as accurate as possible without damaging anyhting more than the usual wear.


I understand IMR4895 is the be all and end all powder for 30-06 in the Garand (I think it was designed specifically for this rifle), what I'd like to know is:

1) What's the powder used in old 303 cartridges?
2) If IMR 4895 isn't great for a 303, what's a better comprimise between something slow for the Enfield, and something fast for the Garand?


Thanks!

 

[Eagleye]

I no longer own a "stock" 303 rifle, but I do have a P14 that is chambered 303 EPPS.
This is a happy combination.
The groove diameter is just a shade over .312", but it shoots practically all diameter bullets from .3105" - .313" well.
It loves the 180 Sierra Fb and a big load of W760
Reloder 15, VV N150 & 550 also work well with 174gr and heavier.
Also have a super 200 grain load using Higginsons 47N.
The 180 Remington Cor-Lokt RN bullet sings with IMR 4320.
I really like this rifle. It has now accounted for 4 deer and a Black Bear.
One shot each, from 47 yards to 275 yards.
Regards, Eagleye.

 

[kombayotch]

I'm having great results with the 174 SMK and AR Comp in my Savage Mk4No1*. Temperature stable and it meters through a progressive...

 

[manitou210]

Reloader 15 is the Be-all and end-all of .303 powders.
Great success with Hornady 150gr SPs, and Remington 180gr RNSP. Both .312s I believe.

X2 for RL 15 & 150gr Hornadys, but best load I ever saw in a P14 was 174gr Sierra Match Kings and light load of Varget under 3/4" at 100

 

[p-17]

1) What's the powder used in old 303 cartridges?

It's actually the predecessor to IMR 3031. In WWI, it was called "MR16". IMR 3031 still works today, but I prefer IMR 4320.

2) If IMR 4895 isn't great for a 303, what's a better comprimise between something slow for the Enfield, and something fast for the Garand?

For decades, the conventional wisdom for Garand loading was to not use anything faster than IMR 3031 or anything slower than IMR 4320. This means that IMR 3031, IMR 4064 and IMR 4320 would all work in your Lee Enfield, as well as your Garand. I would personally try IMR 4064 or IMR 4320 for both, with a preference to IMR 4320 because I've found it to be the best in the .303 and it also works well in the .30-06.

 

[Haagen_Dazs]

Thanks P-17, I had my eye set on the IMR 4064 but if the slower 4320 works well in a Garand and beteer in a 303 than the faster 4064 thans I'll have to try the 4320!